Space-age concept tops marque sale

A radical BMW-based concept car led Bonhams’ Power by BMW auction when it went under the hammer for €460,000 on 1 October.

The 1969 Bertone Spicup was snapped up by an American buyer and will leave Europe for the first time since it made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The colourful concept star was the product of Carrozzeria Bertone, showcased designer Giorgetto Giugiaro’s efforts to include a retractable roof and was based on an E3 saloon platform.

It was discovered in a derelict state in 2008, having covered more then 100,000km – something of a record for a concept car – and was subsequently restored to its original show specification.

Other strong sellers at the dedicated marque sale at BMW’s Munich HQ included a 31km-from-new 1972 BMW 3.0S (estimate €10-20,000) that made €24,150 and a 1972 BMW 3.0CSi (below) that had just 11,075km on the clock and which changed hands for the €31,625, well above its €15-25,000 estimate.

The pair were from a run of nine 1970s BMWs from a private collection, which also featured a 38km-from-new c1972 2800 (estimate €10-20,000) that made €21,850, along with a 1976 630CS coupé that crossed the block for €8050, despite a €10-12,000 prediction.

Bonhams was disappointed in its efforts to clear two of the sale’s other star lots: bidding on the 1976 Spa 24 Hours-winning 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile and the 1979 BMW M1 Procar racer both failed to hit the cars’ respective €325-375,000 and €450-500,000 estimates.

The ex-Gilbert ‘Gillie’ Tyer 1937 Frazer-Nash BMW 328 also stalled short of the car’s €450-550,000 guide, but there was better news on the 1939 BMW 327 Cabriolet, which sold for a near mid-estimate (€125-165,000) €143,750.

Bonhams got 23 of the 42 lots on offer away for a sale total of €1,312,630. See Bonhams Power by BMW for more.